Struggle
by Rikku Shinra
Summary: After Destiny Island had fallen to darkness, Selphie finds herself in the never-ending Twilight. Once alone, she finds a familiar face amongst the group of kids with a message to deliver.


I Don't Own The Rights To Kingdom Hearts.

I wrote this due to the nonexisitant Selfer fanbase.

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The clock tower chimes noon, but the never-ending sunset at no time changes. This world forever locked between the hours of day and night and when the sun did set, the darkness that had once befell her home, was still painted in hues of red and pinks, muted by the moon. But at the hands moved ticking off the minutes from one, two, ten, fifteen, forty-five, one pm and the clock chimed again, Selphie began to wonder how she had gotten here. To this world locked between day and night.

"I have a message I need you to deliver." She jumped and looked around seeing nothing or no one near by but the squeaky voice was close. Her instincts told her that. "Down here." Selphie looked down, eyes growing wide at the cloaked rodent, mouse or rat she was not sure only knowing she was hesitating to punt the thing across the platform. The mouse giggled, it giggled at her and held its hand out. "Selphie, right? I think I heard Kairi talk about you. I have a message for you to deliver. It's important and I think you are the best for the job. My name is Mickey."

Selphie drew back, clutching her hands to her chest. There was no way she was going to shake that rats' hand. Where had it been? What if it shoved cheese in its mouth like that weird kid with his hot dogs? "What type of message?"

"A retreat so to speak, it's to Setzer." Mickey lowered his hand it was not every day that a teenage girl with better things to do found herself in some strange world talking to a dressed rodent. He understood, she was not as gifted as Sora, Riku or Kairi. She had not traveled distant worlds like they had, she would not remember her home having never grew up there. As Mickey fished around in his cloak Selphie wondered how he had found such small clothing and if the hood he had fit over his head. "Here it is!" The mouse chirped triumphantly and held out a letter embossed with a red lions head.

"Who exactly am I looking for?"

"Setzer, it shouldn't be to hard, I'm sure in no time will you catch his eye." Selphie's lips pressed into a thin line as the mouse pulled his hood up and turned walking away from her.

"Hey, do I at least get paid? Fifty munny is a fair couriers fee!" Mickey stopped, patted himself down. In an instant he stood before her, a few bills in hand. Surprised, she reached out carefully taking the money as if she expected it to disappear when it touched her. When it did not she smiled and tucked the munny and letter into her white and pink purse.

"You better hurry, the tournament will start soon." Mickey went to take his leave but stopped again. "I think this will come in handy!" At first, the speck of light shined bright, with each microsecond it dimmed and grew longer till a nunchaku landed at Selphie's feet after sliding along the ground and bumping into her boot.

"What the? How did you?" Selphie looked around, turned a full circle but once again she was alone on the platform with a not, some munny and a pair of magical nunchakus at her feet. With a huff, she picked up the oversized weapon, heading in the only open direction she could. Down a flight of stairs into the town.

It had not taken long to find the tournament, the streets where filling up with spectators and brawlers alike.

"Last chance to sign up! Meet the King of Struggle, Setzer! But only of you win!"

Approaching the table, Selphie smiled rocking on her heels some. "Can I sign up?"

The man, mid shout, looked down at the doe eyed teen. "Its fifty munny. But if you win, you get a picture with Setzer and half of any bets placed." Selphie sighed pulling the munny from her pocket and placed in into the announcers outstretched hand. "Good luck. Your gonna need it!"

Walking past the man, she scoffed wrinkling her nose at him. She need luck? More like a leprechaun side kick would solve her problem. She barely had time to duck as a young blond boy with spiked back hair hit the ring side, his hand instantly loosening up on the hold he held on the bat.

"Hayner is ejected and Vivi advanced to the next round!" Curiosity got the better of her, after all who could fell a teenager who towered over most of the adults in town? Peeking over the platforms edge she caught sight of a tall blond-haired person with a scar running between his eyes and disappeared up into the beanie on his head. Beside him was a silver haired girl who looked as if the sky itself was the epitome of boredom. Hoisted high in the air by a teenager in red was the brawler, his puffy pants and blacked out face hidden under an odd pointy hat. Despite the lack of facial features, Selphie could feel his smile as his friends congratulated him on the win.

"Hey, you! Your up next!" Jumping, Selphie pointed to herself and looked around to make sure the announcer was talking to her. Seeing no one else around, she scuffled over, head bowed. All this to deliver a message?

"Booyaka!" Selphie jumped, pumping her fist in the air, checked her boots then, with the bat behind her, rocked on her heels a pleased smile spread across her lips. The first round was confusing, not only was she trying to knock her opponent unconscious but also collect these strange balls they dropped while keeping hers intact. Thankfully, she was a fast learner and managed to work her way up to the last bracket. Taking out Vivi, as sweet as he was, was hard and for being the same height as her with those puffy pants, he was extremely fast. After the first few hits and his friends cheering non-stop she found his weakness, he left his left side open when he struck and between strikes he was completely open.

The crowd roared not because they wanted Vivi to lose but her. She was a nobody in this town and had just beaten one of the best. Jogging down the stairs she bounced over to the boy and held her hand out with a smile. "Great job!" Vivi stared at her hand, then looked up the yellow eyes staring out at her from the void. As his gloved hand started to slide into her grip, it fell away at once as his friends appeared, the blond looking testy and upset.

"Viv, great job." His hand landed heavily on the younger teens outstretched arm.

"Thanks, Seifer!" The boy, Selphie was sure under that odd mask, was smiling widely filling with pride that his hero had noticed his work. The smile didn't dissipate, she was vaguely aware of his mood, as Seifer stepped in front of him looking her over.

"So, your Selphie?" His head cocked to the side studying every inch of the perky girl before him. For a moment he thinks of Olette, from the slightly similar hair color to the green eyes. A possible relative? But if Olette stood by Hayner after his failure at beating Vivi, she would have stayed for family. The girl shifted, lifting her boot to check the sole, obviously bored with his scrutiny.

"Hey, maybe you can help me! I'm looking for Setzer, I have a message for him."

"A messenger girl, huh?" He smirked, brows lifting. "Beat me and I'll personally escort you to him."

"Really? Wait," Selphie turned, looking at the contestant board where her name sat perched at the top left wing and directly across sat 'Seifer'. "Oh," her head bobbed, the large upward curls bobbing along with the minute movement exaggerating it. "Well then, good luck!"

She smiled, a chipper soul waiting to be broken. "You'll definitely need it." Passing in front of Selphie, Seifer could fell the smile drop, the air chilling just enough to raise the flesh on his arms. It was not a common feeling he got, only happening occasionally. It felt like someone was watching from a distance, or that odd sensation people contributed to someone stepping on your grave, except it felt like someone had just dug his grave up.

As the last blow landed and Selphie's cheerful voice echoed her exclamation of 'Booyaka!'. Seifer gritted his teeth, that high pitched squeal irritating every cell in his body as it looped over in his mind. How could she, this annoying idiotic no brained girl, win? He did everything right, just like he was taught, and she swoops in defeats people that had trained for years with such ease and grace that it makes his blood boil. She is before him now, squatting modestly with the bat pointed downwards from her crossed arms.

"Good game." Its whispered and he can hear the announcer running his fat self up the stairs to announce the newest Champion. He clenches his bat, his free hand curling into a fist, he wants to hit her. She made a fool of him. His teeth grind as she offers him her hand the perfect shade of Paradise Pink, a color he only knows about because of his sister, teasing from her manicured nails. She screams pampered princess, with that white moogle purse with the chocobo charm, her curled hair, and the way her makeup makes her eyes pop up close. He refuses the offer of peace and pushes off the wood to storm off.

Selphie's pulled away, the announcer lifting her batting arm high into the air. "And it's a game! Selphie is the new champion!"

Blushing under the sudden attention she spots Hayner, him and his friends cheering wildly, not because she won, and they had some stake in her winning, but she beat Seifer, so she must be a great person. Eventually the Announcer leaves her be with a munny pouch bursting at the seams, and so do the spectators with cheers of 'wonderful job' and 'Atta girl'. Alone in the town square, her purse holding the pouch and the letter to Setzer, Selphie shrinks back once again lost and the creeping feeling of fear rising.

"Hey!" She can feel herself leave her body before crashing back down into her self as a firm hand catches her arm. Turning, the set of Nunchakus' clutched just waiting to lash out and strike, she stumbled back pulling her purse close. The reflex is instinctive as Seifer holds his hands in front of him, "I told you I'd take you to Setzer, right?" He coos leaning forward with the same overconfident smirk she just wiped off his face no more than an hour ago firmly plastered on his lips.

"I meant after the tournament!" She stomps her foot, the stress of the unknown and the fear of Heartless and consuming Darkness seeping out.

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down." A Princess for sure. "If we hurry we'll make it before the sun sets."

It wasn't a long walk just past the ice cream shop, then a left down a back alley with a sharp right at the bike shop. It gave her time and quiet to think about everything that had happened, about the friends she had lost and hoped to see again, and the new one she had made. "We're here." Seifer slowed to a stop, allowing her to go ahead of him. Before them stood a nondescript town home, no different than the other tan homes and buildings that littered Twilight Town, it even lacked the decorative planters that sat outside some windowsills. "Are you going to go knock, or do I need to do that for you?"

"No, I got it. It's my mission to get this message to Setzer. Thank you for your help." Reflecting on it later, as he walked away from the home, Seifer didn't mind her goodbye or the way he could feel the soft pressure linger at the corner of his lips. It was a backhanded goodbye, one he would take and while he wouldn't let on, he would keep close to his heart as he hoped and dreamed he would see her again one day. "You know, if you didn't frown so much you'd be a real hottie." Selphie stated as the door creaked open behind her, once Setzer caught the shape of the golden wax seal, she was whisked inside.

"GIRLFRIEND!?" Seifer jumped, Rai's laugh reverberating off the alleyway walls as he, Fuu and Vivi stepped out of the bike shops shadow.

"What? No!"

"KISS?"

"Ugh," he groaned, running his hands down his face as Rai began openly planning to get his best friend and the new girl together. "Just, gah, go away!" The plea fell to deaf ears, or they where simply ignoring him. Deep down, Seifer knew he would never hear the end of this.


End file.
